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Category: Playgroundz Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: PSYCHLONA - WARPED VISION

ALBUM REVIEW: PSYCHLONA - WARPED VISION (MAGNETIC EYE RECORDS)

Released September 27th, 2024

Warped Vision, the fourth and latest release from Psychlona, is a magnificent work of Psychedelic Desert Rock in its finest moment.  It made landfall on September 27th, 2024 via Magnetic Eye Records and we have tracked it all the way from Bradford, UK.

The sound is rich and polished, with velvety vocals performed with a swaggy attitude. Lush and grungy guitar tones are layered on top of the drums and the bass, who do all the heavy lifting effortlessly. Together, it all sounds like a perfect storm.

The opening track, "Jasmine," sets the stage with swelling guitar lines spread out and a heavy riff-driven groove. The vocals, drenched in delay and reverb, hover above this storm, occasionally striking down with electrifying guitar leads. The impact is undeniable, and I can't help but be intrigued by this musical phenomenon. So let’s go, pun intended.

From "Let's Go," the second track on their eight-album masterpiece, the band delivers more desert rocking spacey psychedelia. This upbeat song continues to showcase their signature blend of melodic vocal lines and intricate guitar hooks, captivating listeners with its infectious energy and clever songwriting.

Track three “Smoke” blows in a change and a momentary lapse of reason sets over me. Like swimming in a fishbowl, the track exudes a unique blend of beauty and melancholy. Its slow and refined guitar lines intertwine seamlessly with the relaxed vocal performance, creating a captivating soundscape. However, with just over a minute remaining, the song takes an unexpected turn, escalating to another realm. Fast-paced grooves, hard-riffing guitars, and raw energy converge to create a sonic storm that reaches new heights.

"Cut Loose", "Topanga", and "Kaleidoscope" emerge as an obscure and captivating trio of songs. Carefully crafted with intricate arrangements, they transcend the mainstream with cherished cult classic familiarity. Their allure grows with each listen, warping the listener's perception and leaving a lasting impact.

As the album nears its conclusion, the song "Split" slows down the pace, creating a pleasing contrast. The verses continue to carry a melancholic tone, which transitions into a heavier electric guitar-driven sound. Ending the album with "Magic Carpet" is a fitting choice, as it strongly resonates with the overall theme and atmosphere of the album.

Psychlona delivers a collection of songs that feels both timeless and forward-thinking. With Warped Vision this release cements their place as a formidable force in the psychedelic desert rock scene.

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Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews
Playgroundz Top 15 Stoner/Doom Album Releases of August 2024


Playgroundz Top 15 Rock/Metal Album Releases of August 2024 - (Top 10 Depicted In This Image)


1. MAMMOTH VOLUME - RAISED UP BY WITCHES (Blues Funeral Recordings)
2. FREE RIDE - ACIDO Y PUTO (Small Stone Records)
3. BARBARIAN HERMIT - MEAN SUGAR (APF Records)
4. FOSTER MOTHER - ECHO MANOR (Ripple Music)
5. ENDLESS VALLEY - KAKASHIR (Copper Feast Records)
6. COBRANOID - COBRANOID (Self Release)
7. EMU - EMU (No Groove No Good Records)
8. ELDER - Live at BBC Maida Vale Studios (Self Release)
9. VALLEY OF THE SUN - QUINTESSENCE (Self Release)
10. QUINTANA - THE TRAVELER (Self Release)
11, HOLA GHOST - CHUPACABRA, HATE & FIGHT (Svart Records)
12. SUPERSONIC DRAGON WAGON - FROM THE DEEP (Self Release)
13. EYES OF THE OAK - NEOLITHIC FLINT DAGGER (Self Release)
14. DELVING - ALL PATHS DIVERGE (Stickman Records/Blues Funeral Records)
15. SIDEWINDER - TALONS (Self Release)


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Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews
Album Review: Acido Y Puto by Free Ride

From Madrid Spain, 3 piece heavy psych and stoner rock band Free Ride deliver a remarkable 9 track album with all of our favorite ingredients. Just released August 9th on Small Stone Records and If you like a mix of psych, stoner, desert, or even punk rock, Acido Y Puto is for you

The opening song “Space Nomad” kicks off the album like a soundtrack into the unknown. Its laid back acoustic, clean, and atmospheric sounds capture the essence of moving around in space and alone. 

On track 2, Free Ride follows this up with more of the same message on the song “Outsider”, this time with a heavy taste of grunge and fuzzy guitars and alternative lead vocals. A rhythmically compelling groove keeps this one snappy and charging forward.

“Kosmik Swell” is an immersive instrumental that combines the ethereal sound of “Space Nomad” and the pulsating sound of “Outsider”. A masterful track that showcases ripping guitar leads.

0022800746_10.jpgThe standout guitar work on “Kosmik Swell”, in fact, is all over the album. From beginning to end, you will hear a palette of great guitar tones and expressive guitar solos. The drums and the bass are locked in thumpy and snappy, providing a punchy foundation for the overall gritty undertones of the lead vocals and guitars. The gravelly vocals are a perfect fit, and it's the introspective lyrics that connects us closer together.

Free Ride has mastered the art of balance with its sonic exploration into the human psyche, carefully extracting the inner dark side of the soul, tapping into a little light of hope where our cleaner and purer thoughts are met with dirty resistance. In this journey, the prettier things get, the fuzzier they become. Balance is everything, and Free Ride has the formula. Perhaps we all need some more Acido Y Puto.

Listen Here >> https://freerideband.bandcamp.com/album/acido-y-puto

Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews
Album Review: L'​Œ​uvre Au Noir by Brüle

Album Review: "L'​Œ​uvre Au Noir" by Brüle

french stoner/DOOM band

https://thebandbrule.bandcamp.com/album/l-uvre-au-noir-2

Brüle, the 3 piece french stoner/DOOM band, from South Of France (Perpignan), just released their first full length album, "L'​Œ​uvre Au Noir”.  The album features nine tracks that showcase the group's signature blend of stoner, doom, and occult.

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The lead single, "La Bruixa Del Sol”,  is a masterclass in slow heavy doom riffage with soaring lead vocals on top. The dynamic occult melodies lock into the sludgy laid back pocket, capturing the true essence of doom.

Other standout tracks on the album include "This Life",  a perfect  track 2 on the album, full of catchy stoner  hooks within their brand of Doom and “Seal Of Lucifer",  a powerful mid tempo doom track with a riff cooked in a fire, and “Land Of Nod”,  showcasing more of the bands time spent in scorched earth. 

Overall, "L'​Œ​uvre Au Noir" is a complex masterclass of different and connected parts, in which some describe it as Solar Doom. The songs are mesmerizing and memorable, and the lyrics are thought-provoking. If you're a fan of Brüle, or even if you're new to their music, I highly recommend checking out "L'​Œ​uvre Au Noir” to explore the occult side of your soul.

https://thebandbrule.bandcamp.com/album/l-uvre-au-noir-2

Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews

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Playgroundz Rocks Top 11 Picks In The Heavy Undergound - July 2024 Releases

1. OCCULT WITCHES - SORROW’S PYRE (Self release)
2. DRUG HUNT - FEAST (Bad Vibe Good Friends)
3. ORANGE GOBLIN - SCIENCE, NOT FICTION  (Peaceville Records)
4. DOOMBOYZ - EVIL RIFFS FROM LOS ANGELES (Self Release)
5. THE BRIDGE CITY SINNERS - IN THE AGE OF DOUBT (Self Release)
6. SARAJAH - SARAJAH (Argonauata Records)
7. THUNDERDOPE - MOTORSATAN (Self Release)
8. ANANDA MIDA - LIVE AT DUNA JAM (Heavy Psych Sound Records)
9. JUPITER CYCLOPS - AGE OF THE UFONAUT (self release)
10. POHL - MYSTERIES (Wrong Speed Records)
11. BAD ABSALOM - PARADISE IS CANCELLED (self release)

Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews

Bongtower | Oscillator 2 - Review


By mike, 2022-01-31
Bongtower | Oscillator 2 - Review

Psychedelic Russian rockers Bongtower deliver their galactic doom album Oscillator II with otherworldly concepts and a journey through the solar system. Self released on January 19th 2022, each track follows the group's odyssey from planet to planet with robotic interludes announcing each arrival and departure. 

Starting out on planet earth and beginning the launch into space is the song “Phase”. As we are told the universe is not made for us, the fuzzy thick distorted guitars and angry drums are all around us on the track “For All Mankind”, reminding us of our mission and to find the ultimate answer. Standout songs include the epic thirteen minute track called "Mars" that raises the bar.. Other enjoyable songs such as "Uranus” focus on the vocalist's gravelly growls and sludge guitars, and the dynamic clean breakdowns on these songs makes you feel like you're floating around somewhere in deep space until there's a sudden disturbance from catastrophic guitar frequencies. The album ends with the Vangelis Cover “Alpha” resolving with closure but leaving you wanting more. 

Oscillator II plays like the soundtrack to some of my favorite science fiction movies and shows. Original in storytelling with the distinct psychedelic doom sound, Oscillator II is a dynamic record that sets Bongtower apart from other artists in the genre. Carl Sagan would be proud.

Submerge yourself into this album like virtual reality and reach out and touch the stars.

Listen Here >>> https://www.playgroundz.rocks/bongtower

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Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews
The Absurd | Cancel The Wall - Review

Cancel The Wall by the three piece LA desert grunge rockers The Absurd is an album that brings energy to higher levels and features vocal, percussion, and guitar driven music from start to finish.

Originally released as Build The Wall in October of 2018, Bent Knee Records has just released a third pressing. Maybe I was hiding under a rock would be the best explanation as to why I have just recently discovered them. In the light of this discovery is a new release of Build The Wall, remastered, with live bonus tracks and a new album name titled Cancel The Wall. This new pressing was released on November 18th, 2021. 

Tracks such as "Squashing Pumpkins" are reminiscent of classic sludge rock and 90's acts including Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden.  The song "Build The Wall" is a standout single to demonstrate the diversity of the group with a sway between melodic singalongs and heavy rock. On the contrary, my first exposure to Absurd was the song “Boots On The Ground” with it’s mantra style sound that resonated with me. 

Cancel The Wall is an album that hints at nostalgic influences and includes a new alternative sound reminiscent of post grunge acts for those who prefer to decipher the sound in their speakers.

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The Chris Rolling Squad | Cannonball Holocaust - Review

Like a bat out of hell comes The Chris Rolling Squad with their latest album Cannonball Holocaust. Released on April 15th, 2021, the french trio comes charging in like a bull and never lets up. A great combination of punk, thrash, and swampy rock and roll make this a unique blend of styles, similar to classic bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Misfits, Metallica,  and the swampy blues riff-age of the guitar player we know as Slash. 

In their opener “Wild Time” it’s sure to keep the party going all night long as they say. The party continues with the track “Hate 2000 blues”. Both tracks offer a swampy slash style of rock and roll, as heard on his work as a solo artist and with Velvet Revolver. With that, a new style emerges with the song “Trapped Inside”. Fast heavy driven thrash metal style in the likes of Metallica and Slayer. They do it so well I beg for more!

The French trio delivers hard hitting singles such as "Straight Down To Hell" and "Hollywood" to remind listeners of the yesteryears with a new spin on hard music. "Straight Down To Hell" doesn’t disappoint. It’s fast and hard. It’s got that Motorhead energy that complements the style of Trapped Inside nicely. Just when you think things can’t get any faster, comes the next track, “Faster”. And yes, it's faster.

Blending European style with traditional American metal, The Chris Rolling Squad is a band to see on center stage with mosh pit appeal and a youthful tone that will bring the crowd to their feet in a busy auditorium or at home through the speakers. 

Listen Here >>> https://www.playgroundz.rocks/the-chris-rolling-squad/

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Posted in: Playgroundz Reviews